Mike Farrell / Special to the GazetteAndre Ricks, center, watches Western Michigan's home game against Loyola-Chicago on Nov. 22.

KALAMAZOO -- There was Andre Ricks, just like old times, harassing teammates as they tried to dribble, enthusiastically shouting out direction and applauding good play, and then -- though the whistle had blown -- dropping in one of his patented 3-pointers that follow a release so quick, opponents know it's coming but there's nothing to be done.

Sans the wrap on his left wrist, it was hard to tell at Thursday's Western Michigan University men's basketball practice that Ricks had ever been away.
And, actually, he still sort of is.

Ricks was cleared to practice Wednesday by a wrist specialist, though the pain is far from gone. The torn ligament he suffered lifting weights in October will heal itself, but only in time.

The question now for Ricks and WMU is, what to do with the rest of this season?

Broncos coach Steve Hawkins said it'd be at least January, possibly mid-January, before the senior guard practiced himself into game shape to the point he could be used in the rotation.

"We're going to explore the possibility of maybe a redshirt and also keep all options open right now," Hawkins said.

The idea of a medical redshirt was off the radar a few weeks ago. Ricks is scheduled to graduate this April and WMU has already signed its entire recruiting class for 2009, meaning keeping Ricks on the roster would push WMU over the scholarship limit next year.

As it turns out, the NCAA, on a case-by-case basis, allows programs to exceed 13 scholarships for a year if they'll agree to play with one fewer the next -- meaning juniors David Kool, Martelle McLemore and Donald Lawson could only be replaced by two recruits in 2010.

"It could have an effect on the classes," Hawkins said. "But the first and most paramount thing is my loyalty to Dre. I want to make sure he goes out with a great senior experience, whether that's this year, whether that's next year. He's put time into the program and he's earned that right."

Hawkins said if Ricks takes the medical redshirt, academically, he'd likely work on a second major.

"It may be a situation where we try to play him," Hawkins said. "He's got another couple of games he could play to try it out before we get to the redshirt maximum -- see how it responds."

Ricks played in four games this year before the pain became too much. The NCAA recently upped the number of games a player is allowed to participate in to qualify for a medical redshirt from 20 percent to 30 percent of a team's season. Under that rule, Ricks could play in five more games and still get another year of eligibility.